Data library device

ABSTRACT

Magazine insertion is detected and suction of the magazine toward the deep end of a data library device casing is started. An identification code recorded on a recording medium cassette contained in the magazine is read at the timing when the cassette passes a read area of a read device arranged on the data library device case and stored in correspondence with the storage position. Operation is performed according to the storage when transferring the recording medium cassette between the magazine and a drive.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority under 35 USC 371 to International Application No. PCT/JP2005/001238, filed on Jan. 28, 2005, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-022331, filed on Jan. 30, 2004, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a data library device that has a plurality of recording medium cassettes and sets a target one of them into a drive device to read out or back up data.

BACKGROUND ART

A literature (“2002 New Technology of Matsushita Electric”, May 2003, pp. 155-159, (DDS-Equipped Backup Library), issued by R&D Planning Office) describes a data library device illustrated in FIG. 10. This data library device is configured as follows. A plurality of tape cassettes 1 are annularly arranged on a turn table 2. A turn table drive mechanism 3 allows the turn table 2 to rotate. An elevator mechanism 5 inserts/removes a target one of the tape cassettes 1 contained in garages 4 of the turn table 2 into/from a tape drive 6. Thus, data is read out from or written to the target tape cassette.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

According to the foregoing configuration, the operation for inserting/removing the tape cassette 1 into/from the tape drive 6 can be automated within a range of a data library contained in the turn table 2. However, if the number of tape cassettes 1 each contained as a data library in a limited space must be increased, a magazine type illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B is more suitable than such a turn table type.

A data library device of this magazine type is configured as follows. As illustrated in FIG. 11A, a tape drive 6 and magazines 8 a and 8 b are arranged in a data library device casing 7. A tape cassette 1 is contained in the tape drive 6, and a picker 9 transfers the recording medium cassette between the magazine 8 a or 8 b and the tape drive 6.

The magazines 8 a and 8 b are fixed to the data library device casing 7, and the picker 9 is driven upon insertion/removal of the tape cassette 1. FIG. 11B illustrates a movement position of the picker 9 in the case that a tape cassette 1 a 4 is picked up from a storage position located at a deepest end of the magazine 8 a and, then, is set into the tape drive 6.

Recently, along with a requirement in size reduction of the data library device casing 7, there is required that the number of tape cassettes to be stored in a limited space is increased.

The tape cassettes stored in the storage positions of the magazines 8 a and 8 b are recognized as follows. That is, the tape cassettes are stored in the storage positions of the magazines 8 a and 8 b and, then, the correspondence therebetween is inputted through a numeric keypad or the like. Alternatively, the picker 9 is provided with a barcode label reader, a barcode label affixed to each tape cassette is read by the reader while the picker 9 is moved, and data read out from the barcode label by the reader is written to a memory in correspondence with each of the storage positions of the magazines 8 a and 8 b.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium cassette recognition method in a data library device, in which, in operation, it is unnecessary to input the correspondence between the storage positions of the magazines 8 a and 8 b and the tape cassettes through a numeric keypad or the like and it is unnecessary to read the barcode label while the picker 9 is moved.

Means for Solving the Problems

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium cassette recognition method for recognizing a recording medium cassette contained in a storage position of a magazine insertable/removable into/from a data library device casing provided in a data library device, the magazine having a plurality of recording medium cassette storage positions linearly arranged in a longitudinal direction, the data library device picking up a target recording medium cassette from the magazine and setting the target recording medium cassette into a drive, wherein the method comprises detecting insertion of the magazine into the data library device casing and starting suction of the magazine toward a deep end of the data library device casing, reading an identification code recorded on the recording medium cassette at a timing when the cassette passes a read area of a read device arranged on the data library device casing and storing the identification code in correspondence with the storage position, and transferring the recording medium cassette between the magazine and the drive according to the stored data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the data library device comprises a data library device casing including a magazine having a plurality of storage positions for recording medium cassettes, the storage positions being formed linearly in a longitudinal direction, a drive for setting a recording medium cassette therein, the recording medium cassette having been picked up from one of the storage positions of the magazine, a picker for transferring the recording medium cassette between the magazine and the drive, and a drive device for allowing the magazine to move to the storage position of the target recording medium cassette by means of the picker, wherein the data library device further comprises a controller for detecting insertion of the magazine into the data library device casing to issue, to the drive device, a command for starting movement of the magazine toward a deep end of the data library device casing, for reading an identification code recorded on the recording medium cassette passing a read area of a read device provided on the data library device casing, and for storing the identification code in correspondence with the storage position.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the data library device, the read device is provided on the picker.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

With the recording medium cassette recognition method, in the data library device according to the present invention, when a magazine insertable/removable into/from a data library device casing is inserted into the data library device casing, an identification code is read at a timing when a cassette passes a read area of a read device arranged on the data library device casing and, then, is stored in correspondence with a storage position. Therefore, upon start of an action, it is unnecessary to read the identification code after insertion of the magazine into the data library device casing. Thus, it is possible to operate the data library device immediately.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a data library device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of main parts according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a plan view upon insertion/removal of a magazine according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a step of setting a recording medium cassette picked up from a magazine into a drive device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a step of setting a recording medium cassette picked up from a deep end of a magazine 8 b into the drive device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a step of setting a recording medium cassette picked up from a deep end of a magazine 8 a into the drive device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates a controller and peripherals thereof;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a magazine setting step;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of main parts of the controller in the magazine setting step;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a conventional DDS-type data library device;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are plan views of a magazine-type data library device.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, description will be given of a recording medium cassette recognition method in a data library device according to the present invention on the basis of a specific embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, openings 11 a and 11 b provided with door bodies 12 a and 12 b, respectively, are provided on a front panel P of a data library device casing 7. When an open/close button 13 a provided on the front panel P is pushed up against the biasing force by a compression spring 14 illustrated in FIG. 2, a door lock 15 is disengaged, so that the door body 12 a can be opened manually to a position shown by a phantom line. Similarly, the door body 12 b can be opened manually by the pushing up of an open/close button 13 b.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, magazines 8 a and 8 b can be inserted into/removed from the data library device casing 7 through the opened openings 11 a and 11 b. The magazine 8 a has first to fourth storage positions in which tape cassettes (recording medium cassettes) 1 a 1 to 1 a 4 are stored, respectively, and the magazine 8 b has first to fourth storage positions in which tape cassettes 1 b 1 to 1 b 4 are stored, respectively.

The magazines 8 a and 8 b inserted into the data library device casing 7 are engaged with drive devices 16 a and 16 b, respectively, and are fed to an interior of the data library device casing 7.

Herein, the drive devices 16 a and 16 b include stepping motors 10 a and 10 b each serving as a power supply, and power transmission mechanism units 17 for transmitting rotations of the stepping motors 10 a and 10 b to allow the magazines 8 a and 8 b to move linearly. Each power transmission mechanism unit 17 has a structure that no automatic stoppage due to friction occurs.

A tape drive 6 is disposed on a center of a deep end of the data library device casing 7.

A picker 9 transferring the tape cartridges 1 a 1 to 1 a 4 between the tape drive 6 and the magazine 8 a and, also, transferring the tape cartridges 1 b 1 to 1 b 4 between the tape drive 6 and the magazine 8 b is movable in a longitudinal direction of each of the magazines 8 a and 8 b along a guide rail 42. The guide rail 42 is laid down between the magazines 8 a and 8 b and the tape drive 6, is laid down in parallel with a rack 41 attached to the data library device casing 7 in such a manner that a driving gear (not illustrated) is meshed with the rack 41, and is fixed to the data library device casing 7. The picker 9 is equipped with a picker main body 9A capable of advancing to/retreating from a position where a tip end thereof is engaged with the tape cassette stored in the magazine 8 a or 8 b.

More specifically, the picker main body 9A can advance/retreat, along a guide rail 43 provided to the picker 9, to/from a position where the tip end thereof is engaged with the tape cassette. In accordance with the magazine 8 a or 8 b from which the cassette will be picked up, only the picker main body 9A rotates horizontally with respect to the picker 9. A rotational center J of the picker main body 9A is located on the guide rail 43 and above the guide rail 42 of the data library device casing 7. FIGS. 3 to 6 and the like illustrate a horizontal planar position of the rotational center J of the picker main body 9A with the use of a phantom line.

A controller 23 operating the picker 9 and the drive devices 16 a and 16 b is configured as illustrated in FIG. 7. The controller 23 operates the stepping motors 10 a and 10 b and the picker 9 in accordance with an access command 30 for designating a tape cassette to be transferred from one of the magazines 8 a and 8 b. The controller 23 is connected with a first sensor 31 a detecting that the magazine 8 a arrives at a home position, and a second sensor 31 b detecting that the magazine 8 b arrives at a home position.

Herein, the home positions of the magazines 8 a and 8 b are located at the deep end as illustrated in FIG. 4, respectively.

Further, the controller 23 is connected with a third sensor 31 c detecting that a tip end of the magazine 8 a passes through the opening 11 a at the time when the magazine 8 a is inserted into/removed from the data library device casing 7 through the opened opening 11 a, and a fourth sensor 31 d detecting that a tip end of the magazine 8 b passes through the opening 11 b at the time when the magazine 8 b is inserted into/removed from the data library device casing 7 through the opened opening 11 b.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, each of the tape cartridges 1 a 1 to 1 a 4 and 1 b 1 to 1 b 4 has a face opposing the picker 9, and a barcode label 32 recording therein an identification code is previously affixed to the face. Further, a barcode reader 33 for reading the barcode label 32 is attached to a base end 9 b opposite to the tip end 9 a of the picker 9.

Description will be given of a case that details displayed on a display unit 19 provided on the front panel P are operated by a combination of cursor keys 20up, 20down, 20right and 20left, an enter key 21 and an escape key 22 each provided on the front panel P and a command is issued so as to set a target one of the contained tape cartridges 1 a 1 to 1 a 4 and 1 b 1 to 1 b 4 into the tape drive 6.

If the controller 23 recognizes this command and, then, determines that the target tape cartridge is the tape cartridge 1 b 1 on the basis of details in a memory device 34 (to be described later), as illustrated in FIG. 4, the controller 23 allows the tip end 9 a of the picker 9 to approach the tape cartridge 1 b 1. Thereafter, the picker 9 picking up the tape cartridge 1 b 1 rotates and, then, moves to a position shown by a phantom line which is a position immediately in front of the tape drive 6. The tape cartridge 1 b 1 picked up by the picker 9 is transferred to and set into the tape drive 6.

Similarly, the tape cartridge 1 b 2 and the tape cartridge 1 b 3 stored in the second storage position and the third storage position among the storage positions of the magazine 8 b located at the home position are operated in accordance with the access command 30.

If the controller 23 recognizes the access command 30 so as to set, into the tape drive 6, the tape cartridge 1 b 4 stored in the fourth storage position (storage position located at the deepest end), at least a part of which is overlapped with a lateral position of the tape drive 6, among the storage positions of the magazine 8 b located at the home position, the controller 23 drives the stepping motor 10 b to allow the magazine 8 b to move toward the front panel P of the data library device casing 7 as illustrated in FIG. 5 and, then, allows the picker 9 to slide to the fourth storage position. Thereafter, the picker 9 picks up the tape cartridge 1 b 4 from the fourth storage position of the magazine 8 b, and sets the tape cartridge 1 b 4 into the tape drive 6.

Similarly, the tape cartridges 1 a 1, 1 a 2 and 1 a 3 stored in the first, second and third storage positions, each of which is not overlapped with the lateral position of the tape drive 6, among the storage positions of the magazine 8 a located at the home position are operated in accordance with the access command 30, respectively. However, in this case, the tip end 9 a of the picker 9 is rotationally driven in the direction of an arrow 18 so as to be directed to the magazine 8 a, and the picker 9 is slid to the corresponding storage position. Thereafter, the picker 9 picks up one of the tape cartridges 1 a 1 to 1 a 3 from the first to third storage positions of the magazine 8 a in accordance with the access command 30 to set the tape cartridge thus picked up into the tape drive 6.

If the controller 23 recognizes the access command 30 so as to set, into the tape drive 6, the tape cartridge 1 a 4 stored in the fourth storage position (storage position located at the deepest end), at least a part of which is overlapped with the lateral position of the tape drive 6, among the storage positions of the magazine 8 a located at the home position, the controller 23 drives the stepping motor 10 a to allow the magazine 8 a to move toward the front panel P of the data library device casing 7 as illustrated in FIG. 6 and, then, allows the picker 9 to slide to the fourth storage position. Thereafter, the picker 9 picks up the tape cartridge 1 b 4 from the fourth storage position of the magazine 8 a and sets the tape cartridge 1 b 4 into the tape drive 6.

As described above, the data library device is configured in such a manner that the magazine 8 a located at the home position has the fourth storage position at least a part of which is overlapped with the lateral position of the tape drive 6 and the magazine 8 b located at the home position has the fourth storage position at least a part of which is overlapped with the lateral position of the tape drive 6. Further, the data library device is configured in such a manner that the drive devices 16 a and 16 b and the controller 23 allow the magazine to move between a position where the picker can pick up the recording medium cassette from the fourth storage position (storage position located at the deepest end) of each of the magazines 8 a and 8 b and a position where the storage position of the magazine located at the deepest end is located beside the drive. Therefore, it is possible to shorten a depth of the data library device casing 7 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 by a length L in comparison with a case configured as illustrated in FIG. 11.

Description will be given in detail of the memory device 34.

To the memory device 34, the correspondence between the storage position of each of the magazines 8 a and 8 b and the identification code of the tape cartridge stored in the storage position is previously written as follows.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a routine for executing this writing in the controller 23. Herein, the home position of the picker 9 is defined as a state that the tip end 9 a is directed to a left magazine containment position at a position near the front panel P as shown by a phantom line in FIG. 8.

In the case that the magazine 8 a is set into a right magazine containment position through the opening 11 a, upon detection that the door body 12 a is in an open state and there is no magazine 8 a at the right magazine containment position, the controller 23 determines in step S1 whether or not an operation for inserting the magazine 8 a is started. In step S2, the controller 23 sets the picker 9 on the home position. In step S3, the controller 23 determines whether or not the magazine 8 a is inserted into the right magazine containment position, on the basis of a result of the detection in step S1. When the controller 23 detects in step S4 that the third sensor 31 c detects that the tip end of the magazine 8 a is inserted into the right magazine containment position, the controller 23 operates the stepping motor 10 a to suck the magazine 8 a toward the home position in step S5.

Herein, along with the suction of the magazine 8 a, the barcode label 32 affixed to each of the tape cartridges 1 a 4 to 1 a 1 contained in the magazine 8 a passes a read area of the barcode reader 33. In step S6, the barcode reader 33 sequentially reads the identification codes of the tape cartridges 1 a 4 to 1 a 1. The identification codes thus read are written to the memory device 34 in correspondences with the storage position of the magazine 8 a.

In the case of the magazine 8 b, step S7 is executed subsequent to step S3, so that the base end 9 b of the picker 9 is directed to the left magazine containment position. When the controller 23 detects in step S8 that the fourth sensor 31 d detects that the tip end of the magazine 8 b is inserted into the left magazine containment position, the controller 23 operates the stepping motor 10 b to suck the magazine 8 b toward the home position in step S5.

Herein, along with the suction of the magazine 8 b, the barcode label 32 affixed to each of the tape cartridges 1 b 4 to 1 b 1 contained in the magazine 8 b passes the read area of the barcode reader 33. In step S6, the barcode reader 33 sequentially reads the identification codes of the tape cartridges 1 b 4 to 1 b 1. The identification codes thus read are written to the memory device 34 in correspondence with the storage position of the magazine 8 b.

As described above, in the case that the magazines 8 a and 8 b are inserted into the data library device casing 7 in the operation in step S5, each barcode label 32 is read by the barcode reader 33 and the identification code is written to the memory device 34 in step S6. Therefore, it is unnecessary to execute the identification code reading step in such a manner that the magazines 8 a and 8 b are inserted into the data library device casing 7 and, then, the picker 9 is allowed to travel for reading of each barcode label 32, the magazines 8 a and 8 b are moved from the respective home positions and the magazines 8 a and 8 b and the picker 9 are moved relative to each other. Thus, a target tape cartridge can be immediately set into the tape drive 6.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can contribute to further increase in capacity of a data library device utilized upon backing up or reading out data. 

1. A recording medium cassette recognition method for recognizing a recording medium cassette contained in a storage position of a magazine insertable/removable into/from a data library device casing provided in a data library device, the magazine having a plurality of recording medium cassette storage positions linearly arranged in a longitudinal direction, the data library device picking up a target recording medium cassette from the magazine and setting the target recording medium cassette into a drive, the method comprising: detecting insertion of the magazine into the data library device casing and starting suction of the magazine toward a deep end of the data library device casing; reading an identification code recorded on the recording medium cassette at a timing when the cassette passes a read area of a read device arranged on the data library device casing, and storing the identification code in correspondence with the storage position; and transferring the recording medium cassette between the magazine and the drive according to the stored data.
 2. A data library device comprising: a data library device casing including a magazine having a plurality of storage positions for recording medium cassettes, the storage positions being formed linearly in a longitudinal direction, a drive for setting a recording medium cassette therein, the recording medium cassette having been picked up from one of the storage positions of the magazine, a picker for transferring the recording medium cassette between the magazine and the drive, and a drive device for allowing the magazine to move to the storage position of the target recording medium cassette by means of the picker; and a controller for detecting insertion of the magazine into the data library device casing to issue, to the drive device, a command for starting movement of the magazine toward a deep end of the data library device casing, for reading an identification code recorded on the recording medium cassette passing a read area of a read device provided on the data library device casing, and for storing the identification code in correspondence with the storage position.
 3. The data library device according to claim 2, wherein the read device is provided on the picker. 